Professor Andrej Thomas Starkis


§ 8.07. Resignation of Directors



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§ 8.07. Resignation of Directors
(a) A director may resign at any time by delivering written notice of resignation to the board of directors, its chairman, or to the corporation.

(b) A resignation is effective when the notice is delivered unless the notice specifies a later effective date.


§ 8.08. Removal of Directors
(a) Subject to subsection (b) of section 8.06 and except as otherwise provided in the articles of organization or bylaws, the shareholders may remove 1 or more directors with or without cause.

(b) If a director is elected by a voting group of shareholders, only the shareholders of that voting group may participate in the vote to remove him.

(c) If cumulative voting is authorized, a director may not be removed by the shareholders if the number of votes sufficient to elect him under cumulative voting is voted against his removal. If cumulative voting is not authorized, a director may be removed by the shareholders only if the number of votes cast to remove him exceeds the number of votes cast not to remove him.

(d) A director may be removed for cause by the directors by vote of the greater of (1) a majority of the directors then in office or (2) the number of directors required by the articles of organization or bylaws to take action under section 8.24, but, if a director is elected by a voting group of shareholders, only the directors elected by that voting group may participate in the vote to remove him.

(e) A director may be removed by the shareholders or the directors only at a meeting called for the purpose of removing him and the meeting notice must state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is removal of the director.
§ 8.10. Vacancy on Board
(a) Unless the articles of organization or section 8.06 provide otherwise, if a vacancy occurs on a board of directors, including a vacancy resulting from an increase in the number of directors:

(1) the shareholders may fill the vacancy;

(2) the board of directors may fill the vacancy; or

(3) if the directors remaining in office constitute fewer than a quorum of the board, they may fill the vacancy by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the directors remaining in office.

(b) If the vacant office was held by a director elected by a voting group of shareholders, only the holders of shares of that voting group or, unless the articles of organization or by-laws provide otherwise, the directors elected by that voting group are entitled to vote to fill the vacancy.

(c) A vacancy that will occur at a specific later date, by reason of a resignation effective at a later date under subsection (b) of section 8.07 or otherwise, may be filled before the vacancy occurs but the new director may not take office until the vacancy occurs.


§ 8.11. Compensation of Directors
Unless the articles of organization or bylaws provide otherwise, the board of directors may fix the compensation of directors.
PART B. MEETINGS AND ACTION OF THE BOARD
§ 8.20. Meetings
(a) The board of directors may hold regular or special meetings within or without the commonwealth.

(b) Unless the articles of organization or bylaws provide otherwise, the board of directors may permit any or all directors to participate in a regular or special meeting by, or conduct the meeting through the use of, any means of communication by which all directors participating may simultaneously hear each other during the meeting. A director participating in a meeting by this means is considered to be present in person at the meeting.


§ 8.21. Action Without Meeting
(a) Unless the articles of organization or bylaws provide that action required or permitted by this chapter to be taken by the directors may be taken only at a meeting, the action may be taken without a meeting if the action is taken by the unanimous consent of the members of the board of directors. The action must be evidenced by 1 or more consents describing the action taken, in writing, signed by each director, or delivered to the corporation by electronic transmission, to the address specified by the corporation for the purpose or, if no address has been specified, to the principal office of the corporation, addressed to the secretary or other officer or agent having custody of the records of proceedings of directors, and included in the minutes or filed with the corporate records reflecting the action taken.

(b) Action taken under this section is effective when the last director signs or delivers the consent, unless the consent specifies a different effective date.

(c) A consent signed or delivered under this section has the effect of a meeting vote and may be described as such in any document.
§ 8.22. Notice of Meeting
(a) Unless the articles of organization or bylaws provide otherwise, regular meetings of the board of directors may be held without notice of the date, time, place or purpose of the meeting.

(b) Unless the articles of organization or bylaws otherwise provide, special meetings of the board of directors must be preceded by at least 2 days' notice of the date, time and place of the meeting. The notice need not describe the purpose of the special meeting unless required by the articles of organization or bylaws.


§ 8.23. Waiver of Notice
(a) A director may waive any notice required by this chapter, the articles of organization or the bylaws before or after the date and time of the meeting. Except as provided by subsection (b), the waiver shall be in writing, signed by the director entitled to the notice, or in the form of an electronic transmission by the director to the corporation, and filed with the minutes or corporate records.

(b) A director's attendance at or participation in a meeting waives any required notice to him of the meeting unless the director at the beginning of the meeting, or promptly upon his arrival, objects to holding the meeting or transacting business at the meeting and does not thereafter vote for or assent to action taken at the meeting.


§ 8.24. Quorum and Voting
(a) Subject to subsection (b), unless the articles of organization or bylaws otherwise provide or unless otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, a quorum of a board of directors consists of:

(1) a majority of the fixed number of directors if the corporation has a fixed board size; or

(2) a majority of the number of directors prescribed, or if no number is prescribed the number in office immediately before the meeting begins, if the corporation has a variable-range size board.

(b) The articles of organization or bylaws may authorize a quorum of a board of directors to consist of no fewer than:

(1) one-third of the fixed or prescribed number of directors determined under subsection (a); or

(2) a majority of the directors then in office, without regard to the number of directors determined under subsection (a) of this section.

(c) If a quorum is present when a vote is taken, the affirmative vote of a majority of directors present is the act of the board of directors unless the articles of organization or bylaws require the vote of a greater number of directors.

(d) A director who is present at a meeting of the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors when corporate action is taken is considered to have assented to the action taken unless: (1) he objects at the beginning of the meeting, or promptly upon his arrival, to holding it or transacting business at the meeting; (2) his dissent or abstention from the action taken is entered in the minutes of the meeting; or (3) he delivers written notice of his dissent or abstention to the presiding officer of the meeting before its adjournment or to the corporation immediately after adjournment of the meeting. The right of dissent or abstention is not available to a director who votes in favor of the action taken.


§ 8.25. Committees
(a) Unless the articles of organization or bylaws provide otherwise, a board of directors may create 1 or more committees and appoint members of the board of directors to serve on them. Each committee may have 1 or more members, who serve at the pleasure of the board of directors.

(b) The creation of a committee and appointment of members to it must be approved by the greater of: (1) a majority of all the directors in office when the action is taken; or (2) the number of directors required by the articles of organization or bylaws to take action under section 8.24.

(c) Sections 8.20 through 8.24, which govern meetings, action without meetings, notice and waiver of notice, and quorum and voting requirements of the board of directors, shall apply to committees and their members.

(d) To the extent specified by the board of directors or in the articles of organization or bylaws, each committee may exercise the authority of the board of directors under section 8.01.

(e) A committee may not, however:

(1) authorize distributions;

(2) approve or propose to shareholders action that this chapter requires be approved by shareholders;

(3) change the number of the board of directors, remove directors from office or fill vacancies on the board of directors;

(4) amend articles of organization pursuant to section 10.02;

(5) adopt, amend or repeal bylaws; or

(6) authorize or approve reacquisition of shares, except according to a formula or method prescribed by the board of directors.

(f) The creation of, delegation of authority to, or action by a committee does not alone constitute compliance by a director with the standards of conduct described in section 8.30.


PART C. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
§ 8.30. General Standards for Directors
(a) A director shall discharge his duties as a director, including his duties as a member of a committee:

(1) in good faith;

(2) with the care that a person in a like position would reasonably believe appropriate under similar circumstances; and

(3) in a manner the director reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. In determining what the director reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation, a director may consider the interests of the corporation's employees, suppliers, creditors and customers, the economy of the state, the region and the nation, community and societal considerations, and the long-term and short-term interests of the corporation and its shareholders, including the possibility that these interests may be best served by the continued independence of the corporation.

(b) In discharging his duties, a director who does not have knowledge that makes reliance unwarranted is entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports, or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, if prepared or presented by:

(1) one of more officers or employees of the corporation whom the director reasonably believes to be reliable and competent with respect to the information, opinions, reports or statements presented;

(2) legal counsel, public accountants, or other persons retained by the corporation, as to matters involving skills or expertise the director reasonably believes are matters (i) within the particular person's professional or expert competence or (ii) as to which the particular person merits confidence; or

(3) a committee of the board of directors of which the director is not a member if the director reasonably believes the committee merits confidence.

(c) A director is not liable for any action taken as a director, or any failure to take any action, if he performed the duties of his office in compliance with this section.
§ 8.31. Director Conflict of Interest
(a) A conflict of interest transaction is a transaction with the corporation in which a director of the corporation has a material direct or indirect interest. A conflict of interest transaction is not voidable by the corporation solely because of the director's interest in the transaction if any one of the following is true:

(1) the material facts of the transaction and the director's interest were disclosed or known to the board of directors or a committee of the board of directors and the board of directors or committee authorized, approved, or ratified the transaction;

(2) the material facts of the transaction and the director's interest were disclosed or known to the shareholders entitled to vote and they authorized, approved, or ratified the transaction; or

(3) the transaction was fair to the corporation.

(b) For purposes of this section, and without limiting the interests that may create conflict of interest transactions, a director of the corporation has an indirect interest in a transaction if: (1) another entity in which he has a material financial interest or in which he is a general partner is a party to the transaction; or (2) another entity of which he is a director, officer, or trustee or in which he holds another position is a party to the transaction and the transaction is or should be considered by the board of directors of the corporation.

(c) For purposes of clause (1) of subsection (a), a conflict of interest transaction is authorized, approved, or ratified if it receives the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors on the board of directors (or on the committee) who have no direct or indirect interest in the transaction, but a transaction may not be authorized, approved, or ratified under this section by single director. If a majority of the directors who have no direct or indirect interest in the transaction vote to authorize, approve, or ratify the transaction, a quorum is present for the purpose of taking action under this section. The presence of or a vote cast by, a director with a direct or indirect interest in the transaction does not affect the validity of any action taken under clause (1) of subsection (a) if the transaction is otherwise authorized, approved, or ratified as provided in that subsection.

(d) For purposes of clause (2) of subsection (a), a conflict of interest transaction is authorized, approved, or ratified if it receives the vote of a majority of the shares entitled to be counted under this subsection. Shares owned by or voted under the control of a director who has a direct or indirect interest in the transaction, and shares owned by or voted under the control of an entity described in clause (1) of subsection (b), may not be counted in a vote of shareholders to determine whether to authorize, approve, or ratify a conflict of interest transaction under clause (2) of subsection (a). The vote of those shares, however, is counted in determining whether the transaction is approved under other sections of this chapter. A majority of the shares, whether or not present, that are entitled to be counted in a vote on the transaction under this subsection constitutes a quorum for the purpose of taking action under this section.
§ 8.32. Loans to Directors
(a) Except as provided by subsection (c), a corporation may not lend money to, or guarantee the obligation of a director of, the corporation unless:

(1) the specific loan or guarantee is approved by a majority of the votes represented by the outstanding voting shares of all classes, voting as a single voting group, except the votes of shares owned by or voted under the control of the benefited director; or

(2) the corporation's board of directors determines that the loan or guarantee benefits the corporation and either approves the specific loan or guarantee or a general plan authorizing loans and guarantees.

(b) The fact that a loan or guarantee is made in violation of this section shall not affect the borrower's liability on the loan.

(c) This section shall not apply to loans and guarantees authorized by statute regulating any special class of corporations.
PART D. OFFICERS
§ 8.40. Required Officers
(a) A corporation shall have a president, a treasurer and a secretary and such other officers described in its bylaws or appointed by the board of directors in accordance with the bylaws.

(b) A duly appointed officer may appoint 1 or more officers or assistant officers if authorized by the bylaws or the board of directors.

(c) Unless the bylaws or the board of directors shall designate another officer, the secretary or an assistant secretary shall have responsibility for preparing minutes of the directors' and shareholders' meetings and for authenticating records of the corporation.

(d) The same individual may simultaneously hold more than 1 office in a corporation.


§ 8.41. Duties of Officers
Each officer has the authority and shall perform the duties set forth in the bylaws or, to the extent consistent with the bylaws, the duties prescribed by the board of directors or by direction of an officer authorized by the board of directors to prescribe the duties of other officers.
§ 8.42. Standards of Conduct for Officers.
(a) An officer shall discharge his duties:

(1) in good faith;

(2) with the care that a person in a like position would reasonably exercise under similar circumstances; and

(3) in a manner the officer reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation.

(b) In discharging his duties an officer, who does not have knowledge that makes reliance unwarranted, is entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports, or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, if prepared or presented by:

(1) one or more officers or employees of the corporation whom the officer reasonably believes to be reliable and competent with respect to the information, opinions, reports or statements presented; or

(2) legal counsel, public accountants, or other persons retained by the corporation as to matters involving skills or expertise the officer reasonably believes are matters (i) within the particular person's professional or expert competence or (ii) as to which the particular person merits confidence.

(c) An officer shall not be liable to the corporation or its shareholders for any decision to take or not to take any action taken, or any failure to take any action, as an officer, if the duties of the officer are performed in compliance with this section.


§ 8.43. Resignation and Removal of Officers
(a) An officer may resign at any time by delivering notice of the resignation to the corporation. A resignation is effective when the notice is delivered unless the notice specifies a later effective date. If a resignation is made effective at a later date and the corporation accepts the future effective date, its board of directors may fill the pending vacancy before the effective date if the board of directors provides that the successor shall not take office until the effective date.

(b) A board of directors may remove any officer at any time with or without cause.


§ 8.44. Contract Rights of Officers
(a) The appointment of an officer shall not itself create contract rights.

(b) An officer's removal shall not affect the officer's contract rights, if any, with the corporation. An officer's resignation shall not affect the corporation's contract rights, if any, with the officer.


§ 8.45. Certificate of Change in Officers or Directors
Whenever any change is made in the directors or in the president, treasurer or secretary of a corporation, the corporation shall forthwith file in the office of the state secretary a certificate of the change signed under the penalties of perjury by the clerk or an assistant clerk. If a corporation fails or refuses to file such a certificate within the 30-day period following a change in the directors or in the officers, any director or officer involved in the change, or the personal representative of any deceased director or office so involved, may evidence the change by filing a certificate thereof with the office of the state secretary, signed under the penalties or perjury, including a statement that a copy of the certificate has been delivered to the corporation or has been mailed to the principal office of the corporation, postage prepaid.
§ 8.46. Instruments Affecting Real Estate.

Any recordable instrument purporting to affect an interest in real estate, executed in the name of a corporation by the president or a vice president and the treasurer or an assistant treasurer, who may be one and the same person, shall be binding on the corporation in favor of a purchaser or other person relying in good faith on the instrument notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of the articles of organization or bylaws of the corporation, any special act of incorporation governing the corporation or any vote or other action by the shareholders or directors of the corporation.


PART E. INDEMNIFICATION
§ 8.50. Subdivision Definitions
In this SUBDIVISION the following words shall have the following meanings unless the context requires otherwise:

"Corporation", includes any domestic or foreign predecessor entity of a corporation in a merger.

"Director" or "officer", an individual who is or was a director or officer, respectively, of a corporation or who, while a director or officer of the corporation, is or was serving at the corporation's request as a director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, or agent of another domestic or foreign corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan, or other entity. A director or officer is considered to be serving an employee benefit plan at the corporation's request if his duties to the corporation also impose duties on, or otherwise involve services by, him to the plan or to participants in or beneficiaries of the plan. "Director" or "officer" includes, unless the context requires otherwise, the estate or personal representative of a director or officer.

"Disinterested director", a director who, at the time of a vote referred to in subsection (c) of section 8.53 or a vote or selection referred to in subsection (b) or (c) of section 8.55, is not (i) a party to the proceeding, or (ii) an individual having a familial, financial, professional, or employment relationship with the director whose indemnification or advance for expenses is the subject of the decision being made, which relationship would, in the circumstances, reasonably be expected to exert an influence on the director's judgment when voting on the decision being made.

"Expenses", includes counsel fees.

"Liability", the obligation to pay a judgment, settlement, penalty, fine including an excise tax assessed with respect to an employee benefit plan, or reasonable expenses incurred with respect to a proceeding.

"Party", an individual who was, is, or is threatened to be made, a defendant or respondent in a proceeding.

"Proceeding", any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative, or investigative and whether formal or informal.


§ 8.51. Permissible Indemnification
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a corporation may indemnify an individual who is a party to a proceeding because he is a director against liability incurred in the proceeding if:

(1) (i) he conducted himself in good faith; and

(ii) he reasonably believed that his conduct was in the best interests of the corporation or that his conduct was at least not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; and

(iii) in the case of any criminal proceeding, he had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful; or

(2) he engaged in conduct for which he shall not be liable under a provision of the articles of organization authorized by clause (4) of subsection (b) of section 2.02.

(b) A director's conduct with respect to an employee benefit plan for a purpose he reasonably believed to be in the interests of the participants in, and the beneficiaries of, the plan is conduct that satisfies the requirement that his conduct was at least not opposed to the best interests of the corporation.

(c) The termination of a proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, is not, of itself, determinative that the director did not meet the relevant standard of conduct described in this section.

(d) Unless ordered by a court under clause (3) of subsection (a) of section 8.54, a corporation may not indemnify a director under this section if his conduct did not satisfy the standards set forth in subsection (a) or subsection (b).




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